Filing tray



' J. SCHADE FILING TRAY De.14.1926.Y 1,610,710

1 Filed Oct. 11, 19124` 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 :ITI E l- Dec. 14 1926.

J. SCHADE FILING TRAY Filed oct. l1,

192A 6 Sheets-Shet 2 J. SCHADE FILING TRAY Filed oct, 11, 1924 6 Sheets-Sheet .'5

Dec. 14 ,'1'926. 1,610,110

J. SCHADE FILING TRAY Filed Oct. 1,1, 1924 6 Sheets-Shet 4 Dec. 1926.

J. SCHADE FILING TRAY Filed Oct.

l1 1924 6 Sheets-Sheej 5 L:I E .ll

9j 6 3 E la-- Emili Rami Dec. 14 1926.

J. SCHADE FILING TRAY F led 0G11.

6 Sheets- Sheen 6 RS QQ- .a commercial filing tray.

Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

UNITED .STATES `PA'Telnr OFFICE.

roHN SCHADE, or Moratoria, MASSACHUSETTS, AssIGNoR To :NATIONAL BLANK BooK COMPANY, 0F HoLYoKE, MASSACHUSETTS, A VOLUNTARY TRUST AssoorATroN or GOPARTNERSHIP, F. B. TOWNE, E. s. TOWNE, J. M. TOWNE, AND F. W. WrLsoN,

TRUsTEEs.

FILING TRAY.

Application ined Gctober 1'1, 21924. serial No. 742,986.

My inventionrelates to filing trays for loose leaf sheets, `and 1s .particularly identified with the structure shown and `described in my f end-ing application, 719,285, fi ed June l1, 1924.

But the present construction relates principally to the embodiment of the principles which characterize the construction shown in said application, and has for its especia'l object the incorporation of these principles in Serial' No.`

In the presentconstruction one of the most important featuresis the fact that the parts are made ready for use or operated to clamp :the sheets by -a single movement of an operating lever, and this is very desirable, since, in other trays of this type, it is necessary, first to Work an opera-ting lever to separate the Isheet holding plates, and afterwards to manually operate the plates to adjust them to the required posting angle.

Another valuable feature of the present invention is that when the lever -is operated to withdraw the front compression plate iu position for post-ing', said plate first leaves the mass of sheets. at the bottom with the top edge of said plate still leaning against the sheets, and the effect of this is to relievel `the suction which would otherwise exist if the compression .plate was Withdrawn from the sheets .1n a position parallel thereto, since,

in the later instance, several of the top sheetsV ing lever, insures good compression of the front plate against fthe ,sheets when in a locked position.

Furthermore, the latch device that is used in connection with the rear .plate insures a positive lock on both sides of the plate andY also lends itself to very easy manipulation-- The ,front or compression plate structure is `carried by certain parts rigidly secured together so as to move in harmony, and as these parts could be Welded. riveted, or otherwise secured so as to' be unitary, no

special reference to the manner in which these parts are secured-Will be made.

The rear plate structurev is adjustable merely for the purpose of allowing` yfor the variable bulk of thesheet's inthe binder, and :this adjustment is effected by an especially ingenious :and efficient means `to which attention will be hereinafter directed.

So far as 'the sheet supporting floorsare concerned the saine `charactor-istie features are contained in the lpresent construction as the structure described 'in said pending application, softhat` in the present invention there is no attrition Whatever sbetween these smooth floors and the bottom edges of the sheets, and this is an important feature as .the mass of sheets in the binder will frequently Weigh ten or 'fifteen pounds or even more.- It Will be noted, therefore, that since the sheets are actually "carried 'by the smooth surfaced floors and not -slid over them', l.it is notabsolutely necessary that they be smooth. "In this instance, both floors could lbe frictional. I do not, therefore, Wish to be confined strictly to the use of fr-ictional and smooth floors, but, in order to `distinguish each set .of floors fromtheother. I shall hereafter refer to them as frictionnal and smooth.

As aboveindicated, the provision Vof separate floors that are alternately contacted Withthe sheets at the `Will of the operator, is fully covered, in what isdeemed to be a broad senseby my pending application .referred to, and the description and claims of the presentl applica-tion will be mainly dirested toward :approved manner of utilizing said floors.`

The accompanying drawings show my in- .cntion as embodied in an approved commercial tray file, and referring to these draw ings- Figure l is a plan view of said tile.

Figure 2 is a section at the line 2 2 of l`igure l.

Figure 3 is a section at the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 a section at the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figures 5 and G are sections at the line Figure 1` showing the position of the parts when the latching means for thev rear plate are engaged and disengaged respectively.

Figures 7 and 8 are broken sections at the line 8 8 of Figure 1, showing the positions of the follower or clamping plate and the parts immediately yassociated therewith` when said plate has been drawn forward respectively before and after the tilting movement thereof.

Figures 9 and 1.0 are likewise sections at the line 8 8 of Figure l, but showing the positions of the follower or clamping plate and the parts immediately associated therewith, when said plate has been thrust rearward respectively before and after the tilting movement thereof.

Figure 11 is a section at the line 11 11 of Figure 1.

Figure 12 is a detail top view of the smooth floor, and

Figure 13 is alongitudinal section thereof.

Figure 14 is a detail top view of the hollow track-plate which supports said smooth floor, and

F igure 15 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 1G is a detail perspective view of the shift bar that is contained within said hollow track plate and whose operation effects the raising and lowering of said smooth floors.

Figure 17 is a detail elevation of one of the rolls journaled within said hollow track plate.

Figures 1S and 19 are broken sections at the line 19 of Figure 1, showing respectively the position of parts when the follower plate is in clamped position and fully opened.

Figure 20 is a broken section also at they line 19-19 of Figure 1, and showing the position of parts when the follower plate has been initially moved rearward, this view showing particularly the elevation of the smooth floor substantially simultaneously with this movement of said plate, and

Figures 21. 22, 23, and 24, are respectively sections at the lines 21 21, 22 22, 23 23, and 24 24, of Figures 18, 19, and 20.'

Similar numerals of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

The smooth floors and the frictional floors are disposed in pairs at each side of thel tray, and each pair is composed of a smooth floor and a frictional floor, and it will be necessary to only materially describe one of these pairs and the parts associated therewith, and therefore these floors and parts will hereinafter be referred to niainly in the singular. l

l is the tray proper constructed in any suitable and approved manner.

2 are hollow elongated track plates made in inverted U-sha-ped and 3 are elongated angular housings, said plates and housings being preferal'lly snide by side and welded or otherwise secured to the bottom 4 of the tray, said housings having upright portions that extend from bottoni portions G acont the inner walls of the plates 2, which upright portions have ledges T extending inwardly therefrom. the upper faces of these ledges being roushened to forni the frictional fioorsrwhich are designated for convenient reference by the numeral 8. These plates 2 and housings 3 extend substantially throughout the leuggth the tray merely for the purpose of allowing for the sliding `nrm'en'ients of the front and rear plates.

'llo the central part of the tray and adjacent the free ends of the bottom portions 6 is welded or otherwise secured a guide member 9 which extends substantially throughout the length of the tray.

This member 9 is open throughout its central portion and has ledges 10 that extend inwardly from each sioe and are spaced from the bottom of such member. ln other words, the member 9 is of a general Ushape with the terminals extended in wardly and separated by a space.

rlhe hollow plates 2 have two sets of vertical slots 11 the slots of each set beino oppoeach other and forming journals for the short shafts 12 of rolls 13, which latter are therefore conta-ined within the members 2 and are capable of being elevated so as to project through openings o above said members, These pairs of slots and consequently the rolls are spaced apart a distance predetermined by the stroke of the follower or clamping` plate, that is to sary, the extent throughout which said plate is moved inwardly and outwardly, and this stroke is always the same.

Slidably guided within the hollow track plates 2 are controllers 14 for the rolls l). These controllers are lJ-sl'iapee'l in cross ser tion and have formed in their upper edges near their outer ends high supports l5 and low supports 16 for the shafts 12 of the rolls, these supports being provided by cutting away these edges, so that by sliding the controllers in opposite directions these shafts will drop into the low supports or be elevated into the high supports according to ill) lll

the rear controller, and the pins 18 being rev spectively located near the'inncr end of the 'ti-ont controller and near the outer end of the rear Acontroller,-the pin 17 in the front controller being `near the high support of the latter and the pin 18 inthe rear cont-roller being' near the low support thereof.

`The smooth tloors are indicated rby the numeral and consist of metal 'bars that rest on the tracl; plates 2, pins 29 and 21 depending` trom said tloors at predetern'iined locations through elongated slots b in `lthe track plates 2 into the controllers and bctween the cross pins 1T and 1S, so that it will be clear that when the tloors are moved rearward these pins 2() and 21 will sti-lire the pins 1T and 18 and thereby torce the controllers rearwardlyv and canse the shafts ot the rolls to drop within the llow supports 16 and this will cause the rolls to lower.

The reverse oi this `will lfollow when the floors 19 are moved toward the trent ot the tray. Y

Aln the underside of these Vsmooth floors are Ttorn'ied recesses ant near the front and rear ends respectively, and the depth oli these recesses is such that when they are directly over the rolls 13 with the latter in their vhighest position, and consequently ei:- tendingl above the surtace ot the plates 2, said rolls will not interfere with the seating oi'f the tioors upon said tracks as shown at 'Figures 19 and 22.

These recesses are at predetermined locations and they are preferably concavities, and, referring` to Figure 19, where the fpositions o1 parts are shown when the follower or clan'ipinp,v plate is fully moved forward, it will be clear that when the floors 159 are moved rearwardly, the walls ot the recesses and 23 will contactI the rolls and cause `the Atloors to be bodily elevated. As will be hereinafter described this `occurs when l'l'rictional floors. As the smooth iioors are in u moved rearwardly, in zharmony with the rearward movement oit the follower plate as will be presently explained, lthe pins 2O and 2-1 will strike the cross pins 18 and force the controllers rearwardly, thus causing-the 'shatts e? the rolls to drop into the low suptno t ch `plates 2, and this is so timed that it v.

l. occur simultaneously or atcto clamp the sheets against the lin openingl the tile for Vuse the rclampine' plate is viuthdrawn toward Ithe front'or with the final movement of theV the tra and as 'the smooth floors move in 4harmony with said plate they will lalsodoe moved forwardly, but, v'referring to Figure 18, 1t will be clear that these y'floors will remain seated on the plates 2 duringr these movements, `since the pins 20 and 21 will not contact the other pair of cross pins 1T `nntil near the end of theforward movements of these iioors, and when these lpins do strike these cross pins, the 'rolls will be gradually elevated, and bythe time that they are in their high supports vthe recesses and 23 will have been brought immediately `over the rolls as shown at Figure 19, Vand the seating' of the smooth floors upon the trani-r plates 2 will be undisturbed.

As these smooth floors andy the manner in which they are operated and controlled form one ,of the main characteristics of my invention, it has been thought best to particularly describe the'm before entering into a description ot the remaining features ot the invention, Vbut attention is now directed to the clamping and rear plates, the n'ieanz-i 'for operating and lockingv the former as well as its relation tl the smooth floors, andthe means tor adj:

T aliing` up for first conside-ration the rear 'plate which is designated by the numeral 241, and referring particularly to Figures Li, 5, and 6, l would state that the angular disposition ot Ythis plate is constant, and

that it is secured to metal stri-ps 25 which are bent beneath the bottom ol the plate into horizontal guide bars 2G that extend between the sides -o'f the elongated guide member 9 and the elongated angle housings 3, as clearly shown Figure 1, the outer sides oit' these bars ieing;- adjacent the .inner edges ot the ledges 7. outer sides of these bars are pairs of spaced rolls 27 which extend beneath the ledges and track upon the bottoms of the members 3, which rolls serve as mere antiffriction devices to facilitate the sliding movements Y of these bars, and also prevent the vertical displacement ot said bars. l Along'the inner edges ofthe ledges 7 are formed ratchet teeth 28V with which pawl ing and locking` the rearV lill lournaled to the members carried by the rear plate engage to lock the latter in any desired adjustment, as will now be explained.

Fivoted to the strips 25 are i,.-sliaped pawl levers 2G the inner ends ot which have a loose piroted connection 'torino-il by a pivot pin 30 that extends through elongated slots Ill. This pin is carried by :he lower end el' a latch lever 32 having a inger litt at its upper end, while a stationary thumb piece 514i extends trom the back ot' the plate in proximity to said litt. A strap 35 secured to the back of the plate and loosely straaldling the lever 32 serves to guide the latter and a coil spring 3G whose ends are attached to the pin 30 and to the lower edge ot' the plate 514i; serves to restore the paw. levers to normal position.

The lower ends of the levers extend within the housings 3, the outer edges ot these levers serving' as pawls which engage the teeth 28 and hold the plate Q-'lin its adjusted position, as shown at Figure 5.

lVhen the part 33 is raised, the latch levers will be operated to withdraw the pawl element from the teeth 28, and when said part is released the spring 3G will restore said levers to normal position with said elements and teeth engaged.

The :t'ront or follower plate, designated by the numeral 37 is pivotally supported by a carriage member composed ot a hase 3S having vertical side wings 39 to which are secured by rivets Ll0 vertical side plates 4l that terminate at their lower ends in lateral extensions l2 which overhang the trent ends of the smooth floors 19, and from these floors pins 43 extend upwardly and loosely through holes in said extensions, so that it will be understood that the sliding` movements ot said carriage will etiect corresponding sliding movements of the floors such as have been heretofore explained.

From the liront face of the plate 37 at the bottom and near the sides thereot' extend tins 44e that have bases l5 riveted to the plate, and said tins are pivoted around a rod 4G that is carried by the side wings 39, so that it will be clear that this` plate will not only move with the carriage but will be capable of independent swinging moven'ients.

'lhese tins project below tho bottoni edges olf the plate and extend into elongated openings /l-T in the ledges T, these openings hcing oi a length predetermined by the movenwnts ot' the carriage,

The rear plate 2li is adjusted` from time to time, as is usual in devices ot this der scription, to allow tor the number ot sheets resting thercagainst, and the nal rearward movements ot the plate 3'? will always bring the latter into clamping position, and this clamping is etl'ected by moving` the carriage toward the rear until the fins 4listrilre the inner ends of the slots et? as shown at Figure i), whereupon the continued and tinal movement otl the carriage will cause the plate 3l' to rock and assume its clamping petition7 as shown at Figure l0.

'llhis reciting of the plate 3T very iinportant, since the plate thereby anton-rati4 cally assumes the proper claniping position agains the sheets which latter are resting against the inclined rear plate 2l, and for the 'further reason that when it becomes necessary to open the tile, the initie-l withdrawal ot' the carriage will cause the bottom ot the plate fl? to first leave the mass ot sheets at the bottom portion thereo't with the top oi this plate still leaning against the sheets, thus relieving the suction which would oth rwise obtain, which is a decided advantage since all outer sheets withdrawn by suction have to be replaced before using the lile.

`ilfhen the )late IE7 has been withdrawn to nearly its limit` these tins vill strilre the iront ends ot the slots i? as shown at Figure i', and `the .tina rearward movement of this 'lY the tilting oi the latter into plate will ei e i. position for use, as shown at Figure S.

The movements oi the carriage and the parts associated therewith will be clear from the above description, and I will now describe the preferred means which I employ to guide the carriage and to prevent dis placement thereot.

Referring particularry to Figures l, 2, 5, 6, and il, 48 is an elongated guide member made in the form ot an inverted t5 with the .fertical edge portions extending downwardly, this member being located between the ledges 10 ot the guide 9. Carried by the rods 4S) loosely journaled in the opposite vertical portions ot said member and extending eyond said portions are rolls 5() which are located on the rods outside said portions and immediately beneath the ledges l0, so that it will be clear that the member 48 can be moved freely within the guide E) and will be retained therein by the rolls 50.

The base 38 ot the carriage is welded or otherwise secured to the front ot the member 48, as shown at Figure 1l, and it will therefore be obvious that the carriage and the parts associatedl therewith will be properly guided and held as against displacement.

A very convenient. and efficient n'leans has been prorided tor actuating the carriage and the parts associated therewith, which consists of a pair or" toggle lerers 5l connected at their upper ends by a handle bar 52 for unitary operation, the lower ends of these levers extending at an angle to the upper ends and pivoted at their extremities as shown at 53 to ears 54C that are fixed to the inner front wall ot' the tray. Toggle links 55 are pivoted at their upper and lower ends l fo lBy referring to Figures 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,

18, 19, and 20, it will be clear that the rearward and forward movements of the handle bar 52 will effect the various movements of the carriage and associated parts heretofore described, and furthermore that these movements will be positive and steady, and

that the clamping ofthe follower plate` against thek mass of sheets resting against the inclined rear plate will be most elficiently brought about by thel combined action of these toggle members 51 and 55 and the rocking movement `of the clamping plate.

The general operation otmy improved.

tray is as follows .1 f

APresupposing the parts to be in the positions shown at Figures l, 2, 8 and 19, where the clamping plate has been fully withdrawn and the device in condition for use, the mass of sheets in the binder will be resting against the rear plate and the lower edges vof the sheets will Contact the vfrictional iioors. As the operator moves the sheets so that they will rest against the front or clamping plate the friction-al floorsv will prevent the sheets from slipping or sagging, and when the sheets have wholly or partially been transferred so as to be supported by the front plate, the operator grasps'the handle bar 52 and pushes it rearwardly, thus immediately causing the smooth floors to be elevated above the level of the frictional floors, as before set forth and as is illustrated at Figure 20, and as theplate moves to clamping position the smooth floors and the sheets will be bodily carried rearwardly, so that there is not the slightest attrition at the lower edges of the sheets, and the clamping will be effected and the floor automatically lowered simultaneously with the clamping, since the pins 2O and 21 will strike the cross pins 17 and 18 and force the controllers rearwardly thereby causing the shafts of the rolls 13 to drop into the low supports, so

thatthe rolls will be below the bottoms of the floors as shown at Figure 18, whereupon the lower edges of the sheet-s will now be supported by the frictional floors.

Then the clamping plate is withdrawn to open the binder, the smooth floors will be carried forward but they will not elevate since the pins 20 and 21 will move idly from the position shown at Figure 18 until they strike the cross pins 17 and 18, which will move the controllers forward so as to force the shafts of the rolls into the high supports and thereby raise the rolls themselves, but, as hereinbefore pointed out, this will not elevate the smooth floors, because the rolls will then be within the recesses 22 and 23, and no elevation of these floors is possible except during the rearward movement of the front plate for the purpose of clamping the sheets.

What is claimed is 1. A tray binder for loose sheets, compris= ing a container tray, a set of floors located Vat the bottom thereof for supporting` the lower edges of said sheets and capable of lengthwise movements, rear and front plates for supporting and clamping the sheets, said front plate being movable toward and away from the rear plate, and connections between the front plate and said floors whereby said plate and floors will be moved in unison.

2. A tray binder comprising a container tray,`two sets of iioors supported therein, one set being stationary, and the other set being movable and capable of elevation above the level ofthe stationary floors, and also Capable of lengthwise movements, rear and front supporting plates to clamp the sheets, means actuated by the clamping movement of the front plate for elevating the movable floors and maintaining them elevated during such movement of said plate, and connec tions between said front plate and the movable floors whereby the latter are carried along throughout the clamping` and withdrawal movements of said front plate.

8. A tray binder as in claim 2, with the addition that means are provided for automatically lowering one set of the floors at or about the final clamping movements of the front plate.

A tray binder asin claim 2, further distinguished in that one set of the aforesaid iioors is maintained in its lowered position below the level of the other set of floors during the entire withdrawal of the front plate to its fully opened position.

5. A tray binder as in claim 1, in which the front plate at the limit of its inward movement is rocked to effect the final clamping of the sheets, and is also rocked at the limit of 4its outward movement to position said plate for posting. l

6. A tray binder for posting and clamping loose sheets, comprising a container tray, two sets of floors therein, rear and front support plates to clamp the sheets, means actuated by the movement of the front plate for elevating one of the floors and for maintaining it elevated during the movement of said frontplate, connections between the front plate and this last named floor whereby the latter will move lengthwise during the clamping and withdrawal movements of said plate and means for imparting to said front plate an independent rocking at the limits of its inward and outward movements.

7. A tray binder as in claim 6, with the addition that the withdrawal of the front plate from clamping position is primarily effected by rocking said plate to leave the top of the plate resting against the sheets.

8. A tray binder as in claim 6, in which the rear plat-e is permanently fixed in a rearwardly inclined position, while the front plate at the limit of its inward clamping movement is rocked into an inclined position parallel to that of the rear plate.

9. A tray binder, comprising a container tray, a fixed rear support for loose leaves, a movable front support adapted to be adj usted to posting and clamping positions, two sets of floors, one of said .sets being capable of lengthlrise movements and also capable of being raised and lowered to planes respectively above and below the surface of the other set, and connections between said front support and said movable floor whereby, when said support is being adjusted to clamping position, said movable floor will travel rearwardly and thereby bodily carry the sheets resting against said support to clamping position.

10. A construction as in claim 9, in which the movable iioor will be in its elevated posi tion as it travels rearwardly to convey the sheets to clamping position.

11. A construction as in claim 9, in which the rear support is permanently inclined rearwardly, while the front support is inclined forwardly at the limit of the forward movement of the same and remains in this position until the final clamping of the sheets.

12. A construction as in claim 9, in which one set of fioors is rough surfaced and is stationary while the other set of floors is smooth surfaced and is movable, the sheets resting when clamped upon the rough surfaced floors, there being no elevation of the smooth surfaced floors during the withdrawal of the front plate from clamping position to posting position.

13. A construction as in claim i), in which the movable floor is a smooth surfaced floor and is incapable of elevation or lowering eX- cept at the initial rearward movement of the front support and the iinal clamping inovenient of said support.

14. In a tray binder, a clamping plat-e structure comprising a guided carriage to which the clamping plate is pivoted, a set of floors capable of being elevated and lowered by the lengthwise movements of said floors, and loose connections between said carriage and floors, whereby the latter will be elevated and lowered by the sliding movements of the carriage.

15. In a tray binder, a slidable member guided on the floor of said tray, a carriage secured to said member, a clamping plate pivoted to said carriage and having lins depending therefrom at opposite sides, and spaced stops against which said fins strike on the forward and rearward movements of said carriage, whereby said plate is caused to rock.

16. A tray binder having two sets of ioors contained therein each set consisting of elongated metal surfaces, the level of one set of floors being normally above that of the other set of floors, the latter comprising hollow inverted L2 -shaped metal track plates having near each end elongated vertical slots, controllers slidably disposed within opposite ends of said track plates and having spaced cross-pins, interconnected high and low supports formed by cutting away the upper outer end portions of said controllers, rollers having short shafts that extend within these cut away portions and within said slots, floors having recesses formed in their bottom surfaces and resting directly upon said track plates and depending pins that extend between said cross-pins, all disposed and operating in the manner hereinbefore described.

17. In a tray binder, a guide member secured to the central portion of the tray, elongated angle housings secured to the bottom of the tray and having inwardly extending ledges, elongated guide bars confined between said member and housings, a rear sheet supporting plate secured to the outer ends of said bars, and rolls journaled to the sides oi' the inner ends of said guide bars and extending beneath said ledO'es whereby said supports are held in position.

18. A construction as in claim 11, in which the ledges have ratchet teeth formed therein, and two L-shaped pawl' levers are pivoted at their angular portions tothe plate and have their inner ends provided with elongated slots through which a pivot pin projects, a movable latch lever being guided at the back of the plate the lower end of which lever carries said pin, while a spring is connected to said pin and to the lower edge of the plate and functions to normally throw the outer ends of the pawl levers into engagement with said teeth, the elevation of tue latch lever releasing said levers.

.ln testimony whereof l aiiix my signature hereto.

JOHN SCHADE.

llO 

